Money is something we all want more of. We never have enough.

I am doing something I have wanted to do for some time now. I am going to quit my job tomorrow! Yes, my last day at work is tomorrow. I did put in my two weeks notice and basically everyone knows I am soon to be gone. Why am I quitting? Well, I love what I do, but I want to do it elsewhere. I am going to take the rest of this month off and start working 13- week contract work at different hospitals around the country. I am hoping to get out of CA, but really want to move to Phoenix or Colorado. The best part of this is that I will get free housing! That will save me my$900/month. I may get a few dollars an hour less than I am making now, but at least I will have my freedom to travel and not have to pay rent.

I am going to get my PTO (paid time off) hours paid out to me, but I found out that the government sees this as a bonus and will tax me at the 42% rate! I am very dissapointed about this. This was my hard earned benefit and I think it should be taxed at my normal rate, which was 33%.

I am about to go on vacation this Friday (remember, I live to travel ). I am going to San Francisco with a friend. I am guessing that this whole trip will cost me about $1,200. I should have said I would only spend $100/night on a hotel instead of $150. At 3 nights I could have saved $150. I just have to remember when I am there to not spend big bucks on dining out. I am a small person, so all I really need is a good appetizer and a delicious dessert and I am full. This trip will be worth it though because I've wanted to go there for a long time now and if I do leave CA, I can say I've been to San Francisco.

As my first posting I should give the stats on my income, savings, investments, and debts.

I just got a raise not too long ago at work, so my yearly pay ends up being $62,768. Not much at all considering I live in California where rents are high and pretty much everything else is too.

My ING account now has $13,120.

I have a Roth IRA that I opened last year and have put only a grand total of $3,000 in it. No money has been added to it in 2006. I will be working on that.

I have no real debt so to speak of. No mortgage since I rent, my 2002 car is paid for, no student loans since I got a scholarship, grant, bf support, and went the community college (super cheap!) route for my ADN. I own one credit card, and I pay it off in full each month. I really don't know the current balance on it now, so I won't consider that a debt since I never carry a balance.

My fixed expenses are:
Rent-- $900 ( I rent a bedroom in a small house and it includes all utilities, housekeeper, and internet).
Car insurance--$74.83 (liablity only since full coverage would cost me $134).
Cell phone --$48.53 (T-Mobile is so cheap!)

I did have a gym membership at $34.99/month, but I cancelled that last month and should only be charged that one more month.

Basically, my net income each month is $3,186 and my fixed expenses total $1,023.36, and that leaves me with $2,162 for food, gasoline, savings, etc.

Each month $500 automatically goes to my ING account. I would and could do more, but I do spend a lot of money going out to eat and traveling.

This blog is to help me see where my money is going, see how I can improve on my poor spending habits, and get myself aiming for a financially successful future and retirement.